20" LCD Monitors Roundup. Part IV. Page 24

With this article I’m willing to introduce to you a few new models of 20" LCD monitors from different brands. You’ll find here monitors for work and for the home, affordable and not quite, with new widescreen matrixes as well as with the classic aspect ratio of 4:3. We will talk about 13 solutions from Asus, BenQ, Dell, HP, LG, NEC, Philips, Samsung and Viewsonic.

Samsung SyncMaster 2032BW: First Look

As I said at the beginning of the review, our labs sometimes receive presale samples of monitors. There’s usually no sense in running our full cycle of tests for them because they may come with non-native firmware, with inaccurate setup, etc. So when such a model presents some interest, we will include it into our articles with the Preview mark just to show you what we are all up to in the near future.

The 2032BW doesn’t differ from the above-described 206BW in its basic characteristics. It has a widescreen TN matrix with Response Time Compensation, a specified response of 2 milliseconds, and a dynamic contrast mode (the static contrast ratio is not specified, but it must be equal to the 206BW’s 800:1).

The exterior has changed dramatically, however. Recently we reviewed the new 19” Samsung SyncMaster 932B and Samsung SyncMaster 932BF models designed in sleek cases made from glossy plastic. They looked unusual, quite beautiful in a special way, and showing some retro stylization.

The SyncMaster 2032BW has the same rounded-off shiny case (but the matrix is matte). With different proportions and size of the screen it even looks more elegant than the 19” models. The case doesn’t look large despite its being not small actually. I like this design. It is going to look equally well in a shop window and on a home desk.

The rear panel is rounded off as well. It has a slit of the vent grid in the top part you can hold on to when carrying this monitor. The connectors are placed in a semicircular niche. It’s somewhat strange it is not covered with a decorative panel.

The stand is designed in a peculiar way. The monitor is just put on it from above with an effort. The cylindrical piece of the stand goes stiffly into a rubberized groove in the case. Of course, this design leaves no other functionality save for adjusting the tilt. You can’t replace the stand with a VESA mount – the monitor doesn’t have the required mounting holes.

The monitor is equipped with analog and digital inputs, and an integrated power adapter.

The control buttons are placed at the bottom of the case. Their labels are engraved and painted light on the front panel, on the slightly protruding rim in its bottom part, to be exact.

The monitor’s onscreen menu is standard for Samsung but it’s got the long-anticipated item – the option of regulating the intensity of the Power indicator.

The indicator is designed like a ring around the Power button and has five degrees of brightness, from barely visible to full brightness as in today’s Samsung monitors. The LED brightness setting works in sleep mode as well. The LED is going to blink in this mode, but will have the brightness level you have chosen for it. Although you can’t turn it off completely, the minimum brightness is very comfortable even for a totally dark room.

The only test I performed, I measured the color gamut of the monitor since it depends on the employed backlight lamps, not on the monitor’s settings. As you see, it is a standard color gamut, slightly larger than sRGB.

Thus, the SyncMaster 2032BW is largely a redesigned SyncMaster 206BW: a new case with the same technical characteristics. It brings about only one significant improvement – the option of regulating the brightness of the Power indicator. You don’t have to tolerate the bright blue flashlight of your home monitor in the evenings anymore.